Barry Humphries: Ricky Gervais and Anthony Albanese join tributes for ‘one of a kind’ star – as it happened
Barry Humphries #BarryHumphries
Key events
Summary
‘There’s too much good taste in Britain and there won’t be much left when I’m gone’
‘World is just that bit sadder,’ says friend Esther Rantzen
‘One of the greatest comedians of our time’: Adam Hills and Jimmy Carr pay tribute
‘Greatest ever writer and deliverer of insults,’ says Frankie Boyle
Rory Bremner pays tribute to ‘true genius’
Humphries ‘one of the greatest ever Australians’, says Boris Johnson
Australia has lost one of its greats, says Jason Donovan
His life in pictures
Humphries inspired me immeasurably, says Rob Brydon
Humphries a ‘comedy genius’, says Ricky Gervais
Humphries an ‘absolute one of a kind’, says Australia’s PM
Humphries ‘completely himself until the very end’, say fmily
Barry Humphries, Australian comedian and creator of Dame Edna Everage, dies aged 89
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Summary
The Australian comedian and actor Barry Humphries, best known for his creations Dame Edna Everage and Sir Les Patterson, has died aged 89.
His family said he was “completely himself until the very end”. “Never losing his brilliant mind, his unique wit and generosity of spirit,” they said in a statement.
The Australian prime minister, Anthony Albanese, said Humphries was an “absolute one of a kind”. “For 89 years, Barry Humphries entertained us through a galaxy of personas, from Dame Edna to Sandy Stone,” he wrote. “But the brightest star in that galaxy was always Barry.”
Humphries was a “comedy genius”, said Ricky Gervais.
Rob Brydon said the late entertainer inspired him “immeasurably”. He was with Humphries just three days ago in Australia.
“Australia has lost one of its greatest!” wrote Jason Donovan. The singer and former Neighbours star said Humphries was “funny, literate and fiercely intelligent”.
Boris Johnson described Humphries as “one of the greatest ever Australians” and a “comic genius”. The former British prime minister and Spectator editor said he was also an “infallibly brilliant Spectator contributor”.
Adam Hills said Humphries was “one of the greatest comedians of our time”. He said it was “appropriate” that Humphries “took his final bow” on a Saturday night.
Esther Rantzen said “the world is just that bit sadder” after the death of her friend. The presenter, who worked with Humphries, said she was “very sad” and paid tribute to “a great creative artist”.
One of the earliest mentions of Barry Humphries in the Guardian was in an arts report from 1978, ahead of a new West End theatre production. Dressed as Dame Edna Everage, Humphries told a press conference: “There’s room for something tasteless in London. There’s too much good taste in Britain and there won’t be much left when I’m gone”.
This live blog will be closing shortly. Here is further coverage of the late Barry Humphries:
Updated at 09.35 EDT
‘There’s too much good taste in Britain and there won’t be much left when I’m gone’
One of the earliest mentions of Barry Humphries in the Guardian was in an arts report from 1978, ahead of a new West End theatre production.
When drawn by reporters at a press conference in London about the production, rumoured to be on the Dracula story, Humphries, dressed as Dame Edna Everage and sporting her familiar lilac-rinsed hair and glitter-spiked spectacles, said in her customary style: “There’s room for something tasteless in London. There’s too much good taste in Britain and there won’t be much left when I’m gone”.
Updated at 09.29 EDT
‘World is just that bit sadder,’ says friend Esther Rantzen
Esther Rantzen said “the world is just that bit sadder” after the death of her friend Barry Humphries.
The presenter, who worked with Humphries, said she was “very sad” and paid tribute to “a great creative artist”.
She told the PA news agency:
I think we’ve lost a source of so much fun and someone I have worked with since the mid-1960s and liked and admired so much. My memory of Dame Edna Everage goes back to when she was a mere Mrs, she was even then a superstar. She was dressed by BBC’s rather frumpy stock wardrobe but, of course, she turned into a butterfly and obviously achieved damehood.
She influenced me greatly. When I was lucky enough to be honoured with damehood, I was very frequently introduced as Dame Edna because it became a phrase which came naturally, and I was thrilled. Barry was cultured and clever and a voracious reader and all the things that Sir Les Patterson not. A great creative artist.
Updated at 09.15 EDT
‘One of the greatest comedians of our time’: Adam Hills and Jimmy Carr pay tribute
The Australian comedian Adam Hills said it was “appropriate” that Humphries “took his final bow” on a Saturday night.
The comedian Jimmy Carr, who is on tour in Australia, said it was “bittersweet” to be performing.
Updated at 09.04 EDT
‘Greatest ever writer and deliverer of insults,’ says Frankie Boyle
The comedian Frankie Boyle said Humphries “superseded Groucho Marx as the greatest ever writer and deliverer of insults”.
Updated at 09.04 EDT
Rory Bremner pays tribute to ‘true genius’
The comedian Rory Bremner has paid tribute to Humphries, calling him an “all-time great” and “true genius”.
Updated at 08.39 EDT
BBC Sounds will play episodes from Barry Humphries’ Radio 2 series Forgotten Music Masterpieces as a tribute to the late entertainer.
Laura Busson, a commissioning executive for the station, said:
Everyone at Radio 2 is saddened to hear of the passing of Barry Humphries. His six Radio 2 series of Barry Humphries’ Forgotten Music Masterpieces were hugely popular with our audience, and we will publish some of these programmes on BBC Sounds today for listeners to enjoy, in tribute to Barry.
Updated at 08.39 EDT
Humphries ‘one of the greatest ever Australians’, says Boris Johnson
The former British prime minister Boris Johnson described Humphries as “one of the greatest ever Australians” and a “comic genius”.
He also said he was an “infallibly brilliant Spectator contributor”.
Updated at 08.39 EDT
Kathy Lette, the Australian-British author, has paid tribute to Humphries, who she said was her “favourite person”.
Updated at 08.40 EDT
Australia has lost one of its greats, says Jason Donovan
The singer and former Neighbours star Jason Donovan has added his voice to the tributes:
Updated at 08.29 EDT
His life in picturesBarry Humphries as Dame Edna Everage in Dick Whittington at the New Wimbledon Theatre in 2011. Photograph: Tristram Kenton/The GuardianMeeting Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor, when he was among the host of stars appearing in the gala variety performance in the Big top at Home Park in aid of the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Appeal. Photograph: PAHumphries with his family: wife Lizzie, and sons Oscar and Rupert. Photograph: Rex Features
The Guardian picture desk has taken a look back at Humphries’ work and life, which connected with people around the world, here: